I can see you light a match: EVERYBODY KNOWS.

Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Mae Pruett is a publicist for a LA PR firm--her job isn't to celebrate good news, but keep bad news from getting out for her famous, wealthy, and powerful clients. When her boss, Dan, tells Mae he wants to bring her in on an exciting and secretive side project, she's intrigued. But then Dan is murdered shortly before a meeting. As Mae tries to figure out what happened, she gets entangled in the web of what she calls "The Beast," a group of lawyers, security firms, and PR folks who protect the rich and famous. Can she face The Beast and come out alive?

I read this book based solely on the recommendation of Michael Connelly, whose advice I usually love. And, honestly, this is a well-written and fascinating story, but it confused the absolute heck out of me half the time. I will freely admit it: I was not smart enough for this book. Figuring out who was after who in the labyrinth of The Beast took almost too much energy than I wanted to use when reading for pleasure. That doesn't make this book terrible in any way--it just means it wasn't the best fit for me!

EVERYBODY focuses on the selling of secrets and keeping secrets and the conglomerate of the Beast. There are very few likable characters in this story, filled with Hollywood moguls sleeping with young girls and the abuse and murder of homeless people. My favorite part was Mae's relationship with Chris, a former police offer whom she teams up with to tackle The Beast. Chris seems a bit more human than everyone else, even with his background of brutality and current use of brute force.

This book is complicated and often very gruesome. It is a dark story that features a greater and deeper message about society and its obsession with power. It's certainly intriguing, but I was disappointed by its vague and unfulfilling ending. 3.5 stars.


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